Where in Europe is tap water the most and least safe?
https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/05/08/where-in-europe-is-tap-water-the-most-and-least-safeIn Luxembourg, 79% of mapped groundwater bodies failed to achieve a good chemical status in 2025, 55% in the Czech Republic, 41% in Belgium and 40% in Germany.
Pesticides remain one of the main threats to water quality. For example, trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) has been detected in 94% of 36 tap water samples collected in 11 EU countries, according to the Water Atlas.
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More than 20% across the bloc is in a poor chemical status, meaning that harmful substances, such as mercury, cadmium, and others, are above levels set by the EU Water Framework Directive, says the European Environment Agency.
Adding to the pressure is the enormous social and environmental cost of treating it for drinking and sanitation.
Just treating nitrates — often found in fertilisers — is thought to cost the EU as much as €320 billion per year.The EU's limit is 50 milligrams per litre, but according to the European Commission, that level was exceeded at 14% of Europe's groundwater measuring stations.
